United Tobacco, owner of the 601, Cubao and Murcielago cigar brands, is splitting from its distributor Miami Cigar & Co. effective May 1.

Brand co-owner Eddie Ortega told Cigar Insider that the change is an amicable separation based solely on pricing, as United plans to lower its retail prices but cannot do so with a middleman distributor.

The 601 Box Press Maduro Toro (pictured) from United was the No. 6 cigar in Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of 2009 tasting.